New Ulm weekly review., 1887-04-13
WITCHCRAFT.
'Tew York Home Journal.

1860, the year OF the restoration.
There came riding up to the inn OF one
,f the most struggling Of Oxfordshire
villages a we'll mounted young gentle
nan of somewhat distinguished ap-
searence. Calling to the ostler he gave
aim particular instructions, as to the
treatment of his horse, and ordering
;he best bed and supper the landlord
could provide, retired for a. time to
lis room, desiring to be called. when
;he meal was ready.
In about an hour the supper was on
;he table and the stranger sat down
20 it. He had evidently come from a
llstance-the stateofhis horse showed
jhat-and the way he did justice to
;he landlady's cookery proved that
be must have been remarkably hum
ry. The good woman was in truth.
rather alarmed at the rapidity with
which he disposed of what she set be-
.ore him.
He was a we'll built young fellow, OF
about eighteen or nineteen, with broad
brow and strangely piercing eyes that
seemed to follow her about the ON,
and look through her to the wall each.
time she caught their gaze. For about
half an hour be was silent-too busy,
! IN fact to speak-but he was pleas
ant and Ikea BILE; and when she left
Il him to himself, the dame had taken
rather fancy to him.
+ Had she known how he was situat-,
z ed her thoughts might have gone an
other road. For the distinguished
stranger was a gentleman commoner
Of Oriel who, with his choice compan-
ions, had been trying q little amateur
highway robbery, and failing to find a
victim had come on here alone, with
out a penny in his pocket, trusting to
what might turn up to furnish him
4 with the means OF paying his bill.
q AS soon as he WAS alone he left the
table and took his chair to the fire
He began to think over his posi-
tion. His thoughts were not encourag-
ing. He had been living what
was q wild college life, even in those
wild days. His father, a. bencher OF
Gray's Inn, and a county magnate Of
influence, was an eccentric man of
strong will, never known to go back
On his word; and in his last letter he
had given the son clearly to under
stand that his patience was exhaust
ed. AS to money, he had sent him
enough for some time; and as to sac
compts" he would be responsible for
none 'after the date of this last letter,
unless you amend" He had not
amended; he had gone further and
failed.
No wonder then that his medita-
tions we're unsatisfactory. He knew
with his fellow students had taught
him tbat-and fortunately on this oc-
casion his self conceit came to his res
cue.
"NIy father and MOTHER" he said to
himsef-at least he said years after
ward that he said to himself, for he
was nota unknown man-''my father
and mother are better gifted than
those they meet, and l am very like
them. | have the old mans voice and
my mother'e eyes. I see things as
quickly as they do, and mind them as
well. And here have I been for two
years with the chance of getting what
would give me a living if the old peo.
pie were to throw me over, and what
have | done?"
What had he done, indeed? He had
acquired a thin coat of university var
nish.
This is not a work OF Imagination,
and we will not enlarge on the stu.
dents recognition of his folly. The
conclusion he came to was the ordi
nary one, quite the ordinary one: "Let
me get out of this trouble and I will
never get into another"
But how was he to get out of this trou
BILE? He could not help liking the
CHEEKY, brisk little woman he had
come-disguise it as he might-tc
swindle. He had eaten his supper
that did not trouble him much, fol
it was obvious that if he was to be
honest he must live. But how was he
to pay for it? The horse was not his
to leave it would be to rob Peter tc
pay Paul. He was in the same fix
with his clothes. The idea OF doing a
little wrong to do a great right, on the
, Bassanio principle, occurred to him
and was rejected.
"No; I'll be honest, and I'll be thor
ough!'' he said, and, resolving to be
very good and very superior to every.
thing and everyone he met, he strode
up and down the room.
"Ill go and see mine hostess" said
he; .maybe something will happen tc
me-"
And something did happen which
played sad havoc with his good reso.
buttons.
Entering the kitchen, he found seat.
ed by the fire a frail, weary looking
girl of thirteen, whom the landlady in.
troduced to him as her daughter.
'Sick of a bad ague; waiting for the
fit, which will come to her tonight =
"Has she been thus for long?" asked
the student
"a year this Michaelmas," said the
iandlady; and never a leech can cure